Animal lover bids to raise £5,000 to save the life of Romanian puppy

Sue Kirby

A Wearside animal lover has launched a £5,000 appeal to save the life of a Romanian puppy.

Lynn Gunning was asked to be an emergency foster carer for 11-month-old Lupica, who had been dumped on the streets of Romania and she agreed to look after him while his forever home was found.

This handsome boy deserves a chance.

Lynn Gunning

However, once he arrived in England in September, it became apparent that Lupica was not well.

Lynn, 48, who is studying to be a social worker, said vets have found he has a large intra-hepatic portosystemic liver shunt, and needs a £5,000 operation by a specialist vet to save his life.

Mum-of-two Lynn, along with her mum, have already paid out more than £2,000 on Lupica’s treatment so far, including tests and scans, and are hoping other pet lovers in Sunderland will help meet the costs of the operation to save his life.

She said: “On the third day Lupica was with us, he was showing neurological signs such as head pressing and weakness. After a long, emotional and expensive few weeks he was diagnosed.

“He can be kept stable on a special diet, however, he is lethargic and confused most of the time.

“An operation at a specialist vets would give him the chance of a healthy life. He is only 11-months-old so he should have so much energy, but he acts like an elderly dog. We are only fostering Lupica, but we are not giving up on this handsome boy he deserves a chance.

“He is such a gorgeous dog and we have fallen in love with him.”

After years of fostering and adopting animals in Sunderland, Lynn already has two dogs and 12 cats, and being a student is not in a position to fund Lupica’s operation.

The animal charity in Romania doesn’t have the funds for such surgery.

Anyone who would like to make a donation can visit the fundraising page set up by Lynn at https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/lynn-gunning.